Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1887-09-03
The Dedication.

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apolis.
The Dedication.
Last Sundy marked an epoch in the
history of st. Paul. In our last issue
we gave picture and description of
the Pilgrim Baptist church which was
dedicated to the service of God last
Sunday. The services began at 1890 a.
M; with sermon by Rev. S. p.
Anderson, of st. Louis, Mo-; pastor Of
the Central Baptist church. There was
a fair sized audience present who listen
ed with wrapt attention to the sssilver
toned divine. The dedicatory sermon
was to have been preached by Rev. II.
G. Mabie, D. D., pastor of the first
Baptist church of this city, but owing to
unavoidable absence his place was ably
and satisfactorily filed by Rev. Ander-
son, who took for his text, John III, 80:
rye must increase but / must de-
crease" His sermon was logical and
learned. The sermon was followed by
prayer by DR.. Forbes Of the Jackson
Street Methodist church. A solo was
was then sung by Miss Bertha Heath
cock, entitled Calvary Remarks
were then made by Rev. j. M. Hender-
son, Of the a. M. E. church, Rev. L. H !.
Reynolds, of the Second A M. E. church
Of Minneapolis, Rev. DR.. Forbes, of the
Jackson street M. b. church, Mr.. ID. d..
Merrill of the First Baptist church and
Rev. r. Hickman, the founder of the
Pilgrim Baptist church. 1.-THE afternoon
service the church was filed to its utmost
capacity, many being unable to find
even standing room. In fact it was the
largest gathering ever known in ST.
Paul. The altar was beautifully and APP
propriately decorated with flowers, ey-
ergreens, etc., by a committee of ladies,
who displayed rare taste in their work.
There were also number of floral
pieces presented for the occasion. The
evening services were conducted by
Rev. w. Weaver, d. D., of Baltimore,
Md, who delivered an eloquent dis
course replete with wisdom and food for
thought, timely and appropriate, BY
the request Of hundreds Miss Heath
cock again rendered Calvary" as it
never was sung before. This young
lady has frequently charmed audiences
Of st. Paul and elsewhere by her superb
singing, but on this occasion she fairly
outdid herself. Her modulations and
lights and shades were graduated with
such unerring precision that their har-
monious blending ravished the ears Of
her delighted hearers; and when the
last sweet notes had died away their
pent up emotions burst forth into signs
OF pleasure which alone broke the
trance like stiffness which her angelic
voice had caused to rest upon her en-
raptured listeners. It was grand! The
Duet by Miss Lizzie Geddy and Mr.. c..
A. Mason, Rock of Ages was we'll
rendered, in fact the singing of the
choir was one of the features of the
day. The following persons composed
the choir for the occasion: Madam
Alice Mink Cooley, Mrs. VIM. Gray,
Mrs. Geo. Hunton. Mrs. Perkins, Misses
Lizzie Geddy, Alice Lawrence, Birdie
Barker, Maggie Fogg, Messrs. G. A..
Mason, Chas. Farr, w. Bloom, Chas.
Miller, Chas. Martin, D. G. Cotton, Miss
Lulu Griswold, organist, Miss Bertha
Heathcock, directress. One of the in
teresting features of the day was the pre-
sentation of a handsome bible from
Misses Annie Lee and May Martin, Of
st. Louis, Mo. Mr.. John FL. Hickman,
president of the trustees board, sub
mittsd a report which showed that the
edifce had cost $12, 1851, the amount
paid, $9 1856 leaving balance of $2,7s9
unpaid.
The collections during the week from
all sources amounted to $743. 62.
The success of the church is due
largely to the indsfatigible and ubiqni-
tious Rey.W Gray who since his coming
here, only about five months ago, has SO
completely finished the work begun by
his predecessor. Pilgrim Baptist church
is "a monument to which future genera
tons in st. Paul may point with pride.